Trump likely to visit India early next year, Rubio says

Says US hopes to conclude a trade deal with India

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US was seeking to arrange a visit to India by President Donald Trump early next year as the two countries work toward a bilateral trade deal, Indian news agency IANS reported on Saturday.

Rubio told IANS he was likely to travel to India later this year to prepare for the president's visit, saying, "We're working towards sometime early next year to have the president come."

Read More: Indian tech hub names road for Trump, drawing criticism from Modi's BJP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Trump last week on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in France, where Trump said they had a "very good" conversation. India has been pressing the US for months for a Trump visit, potentially as part of a meeting involving Japan and Australia.

India-US ties have been strained over the past year after Washington imposed high tariffs on Indian goods over New Delhi's purchases of Russian oil and its engagement with India's rival Pakistan. Rubio visited India last month in a bid to repair ties, but relations were again strained after three Indian sailors were killed in attacks on commercial ships by the US Navy in the Gulf.

Rubio also said the US hoped to conclude a trade deal with India, telling IANS: "We're on the last inches of getting it done and it's very positive."